Shadowed Eyes
by Luckystar4869
Summary: -"You have an hour to save the world, Kudo Shinichi... and I don't think you'll succeed. I'm just not sure if you'll live that long."-
1. Disappearance

Author's Notes: I'm back! In a not-so-good-way. *ducks from arrows and missiles, and narrowly avoids being impaled by a flying knife* I _know_, I've got other stories to complete... but... *bullet strikes wall behind* okay, I'll shut up now.

Disclaimer: Me no own Detective Conan, cuz me not want to be indirectly responsible for about a million murders. Really.

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**Shadowed Eyes **

Disappearance, Chapter One.

It's never good news when the telephone rings at three in the morning.

Edogawa Conan woke up on the first ring. He couldn't say that it was very hard to, hearing the loud ring pierce through the quiet and stillness of the night. He wasn't having a good night's sleep anyway. Currently, he could recall about eight different nightmares he'd had that night. Of course, he wasn't going to admit it.

Hearing footsteps – probably Ran's – walking quickly to answer the phone, and wondering how come she was able to get up so easily, so early, he sighed, and made himself get up too. He probably wouldn't be able to sleep anyway.

He could hear a quiet muffled conversation... "Yes." ... "Really??" ... "Oh no!" ... "How?" ... "Yes, straight away." ... "Okay, got that." ... "Yes, see you." _Click._

Kogoro was already in the living room – not a usual occurrence. Something must really be...

"What's wrong?" Conan asked.

"So you're finally up," Kogoro said. "We were going to leave without you, but Ran insisted that you come. Something about you picking up clues that we don't notice…"

"So what's wrong?" Conan asked, for the second time.

"Oh, Conan, a girl, your age, has gone missing, in the middle of the night," Ran said, evidently upset. "Everyone's worried. It might be that serial killer that's been going around these few weeks... it's really terrifying now that he might have started to prey on kids. We don't know what happened to her, or anything about her, but they're organising a search party now to look for her... do you want to come help?"

*

*

*

The silver moon was hiding behind the grey clouds, amongst the dark sky, mysterious patterns forming, grey and swirly. Meanwhile, down to earth, the streets were shadowed with the silhouettes of tree branches, from brilliant light from the streetlamps, looking almost ghostly. All was quiet, except for the continuous muttering of voices, the footsteps, whispers, occasional alarmed shouts.

Groups of people, walking quietly, shining torches, some huddling together, a bit scared, some walking boldly, looking, grimly, with conviction. There were men, women, adults, children (who had been dragged out of bed and forced to help search with them by worried parents). The search parties slowly amassed… everyone was worried about the poor little girl, missing, she must be so terrified… The entire neighbourhood had been alerted. Nothing like this had happened before. A little girl, disappearing, as if into thin air… how did it happen?

Rays of light flew around, bouncing on high building walls, the road, reflecting from windows, as people moved their torches, even though the girl wouldn't be likely to be hiding on a dark corner on the streets.

Amongst these search parties, was Edogawa Conan. Staring awkwardly around him, and vaguely wondering why so many people were actually there, looking for the little girl, and especially why Ran took the effort to drag him out of the house and help look (something he was not very amused at). The girl was probably annoyed at her parents or something, or was in a big sulk, and just hiding somewhere, probably a secret place that she found. It wouldn't be that uncommon, as far as his experience of little kids would go. Sighing, and looking at his watch, he wondered how long this night would last.

*

*

*

The first rays of the sun, shining for the new day, were already appearing. Deep red, like blood. Golden red, like the shine of a bronze medal. Orange beams, so much like the torches from the night before.

And the girl still hadn't been found.

Ran's eyes were creased over with worry. "Conan-kun, I guess we should go home now... I don't think you could go to school today, if you don't want to. After all, you've had a big night, searching for the girl with everyone and all that," she sighed.

"Why, though?" Conan asked her. "Why did you get me to help you? No other kids were there."

"You still don't know?" Ran looked surprised. "I thought I told you before. Or maybe I thought you would have figured it out. Oh, well, either way, I thought you'd be able to understand her, know where she would go. And maybe help us in finding her."

Conan didn't like the sound of her voice. Or what she was saying...

"So who was missing, anyway?" Conan broke the silence.

"Oh, Conan-kun, you still don't know? Oh, Conan-kun, Ai-chan's missing. Don't stare at me like that, please. It's Haibara Ai. She's missing."

Missing.

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A/N: Sorry for the short chapter... and, before you lynch me, Necropolis and If She Lived WILL be updated and completed... ('If She Lived' will go over a change of title, though) (and lol copied Gracie-nee and Miya-nee's asterisk thing... '*' XD)

**Summary** is based on event in story that will happen during later chapters. And I'm happy, cuz my big sis has finally got onto this site!!! ^.^ (sorry, random...)


	2. Delusion

Author's Notes: So sorry for the irrationality... is that what you called it, Ai-nee? Well... even Conan couldn't be so clear-headed always... he's just woken up, from the nightmares (which was going to be explained in this chapter), but, I guess, it could still be improved... oh well... I'm still a 'beginner' after all...

Disclaimer: **ditching da damned disclaimer}};**

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**Shadowed Eyes**

, Chapter Two

"It's Haibara Ai. She's missing."

The words rung around the dawn, the sunrise starting the new day. It seemed to echo through the city, for eternity. And around them, the world could spin and fall off its axis, but he wouldn't have noticed.

"Don't worry, Conan-kun, they'll probably find her soon," Ran said soothingly. "After all, where are all the places a little girl could hide?"

*

*

*

Ran made Conan stay home from school that day. He secretly thought he would have preferred to go to school, though, because at least, he would have been able to escape back into normal life - the clang of the school bell, the hordes of little kids running out of their classrooms for recess, home time. Jostling each other to get to their shoe lockers. The enthusiasm of the seven year old kids, waving their hands in the sir madly, wanting to answer questions from the teacher.

But of course that would still be as bad. Because there would be that empty spot next to Conan, that spot which would still remind him that he has no one to complain to, no one to share his boredom, no one to swap noted with after they finished a ridiculously easy test.

No Haibara Ai.

It was then that Conan remembered one of the nightmares that he'd had.

*

*

*

_It was a dock, and Conan was running... but where to? The sun was shining, it was a beautiful day - which would soon be tarnished by a death. _

_But why? Where was he? Why does he have that feeling, that feeling of dread, of fear, of anger, of dismay, that he was too late?_

_Then he saw her._

_It was Miyano Akemi, just shot by Gin, collapsing seemingly in slow-motion to the ground. There she was, dying before him once again, and once more, he was too late to save her. He had figured it out in the end, but he had figured it out too late. And so Miyano Akemi had to die._

_But..._

_The last words were from Miyano Akemi, that much he could be certain. But..._

_That parody of a smile, that smirk. The ice-blue eyes that no one can see beyond its surface..._

_"Will... you... listen to these last words... that I have to say?"_

_That girl, dying, was Miyano Shiho._

_"Haibara..." Conan stared in shock._

_Then all went black._

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A/N: Well! I'm usually not one to beg/nag/annoy people for reviews, but hey, a review in a while wouldn't be bad, ne? Well... if you disagree... *spreads hands out* I can't do anything about it, can I...? (And to everyone who I owe a PM/review reply to, sorry, I hope I can reply in the holidays. Not now, though.) And another short chapter...

Quote: No matter what happens, just stand tall and continue on what you're doing, and they can't complain.


	3. Confidence

Author's Notes: Long time no see!! So sorry for the long wait~ I've been extremely busy... and everyone? Plz go onto my profile and vote in the poll!!! ;D Ohh, and you guys are probably going to yell at me now... considering how many unfinished fics I have... but, I'm thinking of starting another one. Uh-oh. *ducks from arrows* Yeah, yeah, I get the idea. :/

Disclaimer: Y'know what? I actually own Detective Conan. Gosho Aoyama is just my pseudonym.

Yeah, right. In my dreams.

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**Shadowed Eyes**

_Chapter Three - Confidence_

She was there the next day, sitting at her desk, staring blankly in front of her, idly flicking pages in a book with a cheek cupped in her hand. As if nothing had happened, as if it had all been a dream. A dream.

No one else was at school yet, she had made sure of that. She didn't need a certain detective blocking her way and demanding to know where she'd been. She had no desire to tell him anyway, and when she didn't want to do something, she didn't do it. It was that simple.

Ai Haibara glanced at her watch again, and sighed. Maybe getting to school early wasn't such a good idea, she thought vaguely, subconsciously watching Kobayashi-sensei* sipping her coffee in the staff room. She wondered how she could deal with all these kids all day, all these kids and their inquisitiveness, their curiosity. It was an interesting thought. Talking about curiosity... she wondered how she was going to explain her absence.

*

*

*

There was darkness, there was a plane, there was that chilling feeling.

What was it?

Then, there was blood... the blood of the Great Detective of the East, Kudo Shinichi... and in her hand, there was a gun...

_Oh no!!! Did I do that? I didn't!!! I didn't!!! I wouldn't..._

"Sherry..."

_No, that's not me anymore!!! Sherry's already died!!! I'm not Sherry!!!_

"Shiho Miyano..."

_No... Shiho Miyano died too, along with Akemi Miyano..._

"So who are you then?"

_Who am I... who am I..._

"Ai-chan, wake up! Ai-chan!"

_So it was a dream, huh?_

_But... what was it? Could it be... a premonition?  
_

*

*

*

"No, Yoshida-san, I'm perfectly fine," Ai said patiently, as she had been doing for the last ten minutes, repeatedly. "I'm perfectly okay."

"Are you sure? Hakase said that you were sick, and that's why you didn't come to school," Ayumi said solemnly, her large baby-blue eyes boring into Ai's, as if challenging her, challenging what she said. _Could she know...?_

"Hakase also said that we weren't allowed to visit you because you were really sick in bed and that your illness was infectious," Mitsuhiko added in.

"He also said that you weren't allowed eel rice when I brought some for you, so I ate it up," Genta grinned, rubbing his tummy.

"And you know how big a sacrifice that is, for Genta," said Mitsuhiko cheekily, and was rewarded with being chased around the classroom.

"Mitsuhiko-kun! Genta-kun! Sit back at your table!" Kobayashi-sensei barked immediately. Ayumi giggled.

"Oh, and by the way, where's that detective freak?" Ai asked lazily. "Edogawa-kun."

"He's sick," Genta said. "Apparently he caught a cold because he went out with Ran-neechan to look for a missing girl."

"Missing girl?"

"Yeah," Mitsuhiko nodded, self-satisfied. "A girl went missing at midnight the day before, but I have no idea whether she's been found now or not."

"Oh..."

_I guess that was me, then?_

Sometimes, keeping secrets were a little tiring.

*

*

*

"Where were you?" Conan demanded, staring at Ai. "Apparently you thought it would be funny to just vanish, and then at midnight, Hakase discovered that you had disappeared. And somehow, for some reason, alerted the whole town that there was a missing girl." He waited for an answer, an explanation, anything, but didn't get one. "So where were you?" he pressed.

A few seconds passed.

"I don't need to tell you."

Six words, spoken softly.

She said the words almost in a whisper, like she was telling a secret. But this wasn't telling a secret. This was keeping a secret.

And the six words held more meaning, than that. It was trust-shattering, almost hurtful. _Yet why does he care_, she thought bitterly, _when he has kept secrets from me all this time? It might be for my safety as he claims, but in the end, it's still keeping the truth from me. _

By saying those six words, it seemed like that she was destroying their bond, their confidence in each other, that they can tell the other anything, and everything.

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A/N: I try to make my chapters at least 1000 words but sometimes it just doesn't work. :/ Sorry. This chapter might have been... a bit... weird? Meh. Hope you liked it though. I'm going to write more often nowadays, I hope... o.O

11.47 pm - still sitting at the computer, typing like mad. Don't know how I'm gonna get up tomorrow. I've still got school. I am so totally dead - again. Oh nooooooooo....................~~~~~~~~~

* sensei = teacher, or literally 'one who has come before'


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